Door latch mechanism



TAD

INVENTOR.

.A T TORNEYS Oct. 25, 1960 C. E. HA| STAD DOOR LATCH MECHANISM' Filed June 29, 1959 F'JG. I

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United States Patent O DOOR LATCH MECHANISM 'Carl E. Hafstad, 828 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis, Minn. Filed '.lune 29, 1959, Sel'. No. 823,429

4 Claims. (Cl. 292-76) My invention relates generally to door latch mechanisms and more particularly to latch mechanisms of the type which will yield under force, as distinguished from the more positive latching structures.

More specifically my invention relates to latch mechanisms for use on storm doors and the like. Not infrequently, when storm doors are provided with positive latch mechanisms, 4they are prevented from making locking engagement by the lair pressures built up therebetween and the inner door, by closing movements of one or the other thereof. Under such conditions, the doors are frequently caught in gusts of wind which wrench and even break the door apart. My novel latch mechanism may be used either withor without conventional positive locking latch mechanism to overcome the conditions above described.

Still more specifically my invention relates to and is in the nature of an improvement upon devices of the class immediately above dmcribed whereby the yielding latch mechanism exerts a greater force against the door during opening movements, than during closing movements thereof.

'Dhe primary object of my invention is the provision of a device of the cl-ass immediately above described whereby the additional restraining forces exented against the door during opening movements thereof may be rendered inoperative by the opera-tor.

A `further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class above described wherein said restraining mechanism may be rendered inoperative merely by a pressing action of the operator in the direction of door opening movements.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class immediately above described which is extremely simple in construction, inexpensive to produce, highly efiicient in its operation and durable rn use.

The above and still yfurthe-1' objects of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claims and attached drawings.

Referring fto the drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is Ia fragmentary view in front elevation of cooperating door and jamb members having my novel latch mechanism attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in vertical section taken substantially on the line 2-2 off Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. l, some parts being broken away, and showing the door member in a closed position against the jamb member;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, and showing a different position of some of the parts thereof;

Fig. 5 is a View corresponding to Fig. 4 but showing a still different position of some of the parts thereof; and

Fig. 6 is a View also corresponding to Figs. 4 and 5,

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but showing a still different position of some of the parts thereof.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings, the door member is identified by the numeral 1 and the jamb member by the numeral 2. Shown as being rigidly secured to the door member 1 in closely spaced relation to the free swinging edge 3 thereof is a mounting bracket 4, preferably and as shown being generally cross-sectionally C-shaped and h-aving its inner portion 5 thereof secured to the door by means of suitable screws or the like 6. At its upper and lower ends, the inner portion 5 of the bracket 4 is backt'urned to provide sockets 7 and 8 for the reception of the offset angular end portions 9, 10 respectively of a coil spring 11. As shown, the coil spring 11 is maintained in closely spaced generally parallel relation to the free edge 3 of the door member 1 and in laterally spaced relation to the adjacent vertical surface 12 of the door member 1.

Secured to the jamb member 2 is a position to be engaged by the intermediate portion of the coil spring 11 during final closing and initial opening movements of the door member 1 therein is a keeper element 13, the outwardly projecting keeper dog of which is identified by the numeral 14. As shown in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive, the latch dog 14 engages the convolutious of the coil spring 11 short of `dead center, whereby -to perm-it the coil spring 11 to pass thereby only after laterally deilecting the intermediate portion thereof in an outward direction. In this regard, it will be noted that Figs. 4 and 5 show the intermediate portion of the coil spring 11 as being deflected away from the adjacent surface 12 of the door member 1 during initial opening movements of the door member 1 with respect to the jamb member 2, while Fig. 6 illustrates the final closing movements of the door member 1 with respect to said jamb member 2 wherein the intermediate portion of the coil spring 11 is forcefully moved toward the adjacent surface 12 of the door member 1 during lateral deflection thereof. Obviously, substantially the same force is exerted by the coil spring 11 against the keeper dog 14 in either direction, that is during closing or opening movements.

For the purpose of causing the yielding latch mechanism 11-14 immediately above described to exert a greater yielding bias upon the door member 1 during initial door opening movements, I provide a restraining element 15 which, vas shown, is in the nature of a plate having longitudinally spaced teeth 16 in normally closely spaced relationship :to the intermediate convolutions of the coil spring 11. As shown in Fig. 5, the teeth 16 of the restraining element 15 engage the intermedi-ate convolutions of the coil spring 11 in generally diametrically opposed relationship to the point of engagement of the keeper dog 14 therewith yduring normal opening movements. In this manner, the two elements, namely the keeper dog 14 and the teeth 16 of the restraining element 15 define a restricted mouth, indicated generally by the numeral 17, through which the intermedi-ate portion of the coil spring 11 must pass. Obviously, such passage cannot take place until the coil spring 11 has been elongated sufficiently to permit passage therebeyond of the keeper dog 14.

The additional bias exerted upon the coil spring 11 by the restraining element 15 immediately above described is suicient to prevent accidental opening of the door member 1 by air pressures created therebetween and the inner door during closing movements of one or the other thereof. However, this additional force may well be and frequently is objectionable to one attempting to open the `door member 1. To overcome this objection, and to render the restraining element 15 inoperative during initial opening movements of the door member 1 with respect to the jamb member 2, it will be noted that connecting side portion of the mounting bracket 4 isA identified by the numeral 21. At its outer end the push rod 19 is provided with an enlarged knob 22, between which and the outer portion 20 of themo'unting bracket 4 in encompassing relationship to the push rod 19 is a coil compression spring 23. By this arrangement, the restraining element 15 is normally retained in the restraining-operative position of Figs. 3-5; whereas same may be removed and rendered inoperative by an operator pushing against the knob 22 to move the push rod 19 and restraining element 15 to the position of Fig. 4 during door opening movements.

It will be noted particularly by reference .to Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive that the keeper element 13 is preferably provided with elongated slots 24 for the reception of clamping screws 25, which arrangement permits adjustment of the keeper dog 14 transversely with respect to the coil spring 11. This arrangement makes it possible to keep the keeper dog 14 in la proper degree of tension with respect to the coil spring 11 to maintain the door member 1 in closed relationship to the jamb member 2, as shown in Fig. 3.

My invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completely satisfactory for the accomplishment of the above objects and while I have shown a preferred embodiment thereof, I wish it to be specifically understood that same may be capable of modication without departure from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Latch means for a door member movably mounted in a jamb member in such manner that one of said members carries a keeper element, said latch means including a coil spring carried by the other of said members i-n spaced relation Ithereto and having its end portions iixedly disposed with respect to said other of said members, said coil spring lying in the path of the keeper element and engaged thereby during iin-al closing and initial opening movements of said door member with respect -to said jamb member so that lateral `deflection is imparted to said coil spring in one lateral direction during said movements, a restraining element carried by said other of said members and normally positioned in closely spaced relationship to the intermediate portion of said coil spring, said restraining element being engaged by said coil spring in circumferentially spaced relation to the keeper element when said coil spring is deflected laterally by the keeper element whereby to discourage initial opening movements of said door member with respect -to said jamb member, and means mounting said restraining element for movement away from a position to be engaged by said coil spring during deflection thereof by the keeper element.

2. The structure delined in claim l in further cornbination with yielding means biasing said restraining element toward a position to be engaged by said coil spring during deilection thereof by the keeper element.

3. Latch means for a Idoor member movably mounted in a jamb member having a keeper element, said latch means including a mounting bracket carried by the door Y member adjacent the Vfree edge thereof, an elongated coil spring having its opposite ends xedly secured to said bracket Iand lying in spaced parallel relationship to the adjacent surface of said door member and with its axis generally parallel to said edge of said door member, said coil spring lying in the path of travel of the keeper ele` ment and engaged thereby during final closing and initial opening movements of said door member with respect to said jamb member so that lateral deiiection is imparted to said coil spring in one direction during said movements, a restraining element carried by said door member in closely spaced relationship to the intermediate portion of said coil spring and engaged by said coil spring in circumferentially spaced relationship to the keeper element when said coil spring is deflected by Said latch element, whereby to discourage initial opening movements of said door member with respect to said jamb member, and means mounting and guiding said restraining element for movement away from a position to be engaged by said coil spring during ydellection thereof by l the keeper element.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 742,782 Foster Oct. 27, 1903 899,323 Richardson Sept. 22, 1908 977,137 Sexton Nov. 29, 1910 1,516,692 Andreas Nov. 25, 1924 2,499,818 Dedricks Mar. 7, 1950 

